Oxford Business English Dictionary for Learners of English

(Insurance) (AmE) a written or spoken agreement that an insurance company will provide insurance until a permanent document is provided cover note

binding /'baindir)/ adjective that must be obeyed because it is accepted in law: a legally binding agreement о The decision is binding on both parties.

О a binding agreement/contract/decision/promise

biodegradable /.baiaudi'greidabl; AmE ,baiou-/ adjective

(Technical) (about a product or material) that will naturally change back into harmless natural substances and so will not damage the environment when it is thrown away

| 49 bit

biomass /'bai8umaes;/\mЈ'baiou-/ noun [u] animal and plant material, for example agricultural waste, that is used as fuel in order to produce heat, electricity, etc: Biomass is one of the world's most important sources of energy.

biometric /.baiau'metrik; Дт£ .baiou-/ adjective, noun (IT)

adjective

using measurements of human features or characteristics, such as fingers, eyes or voices, in order to identify people: biometric passwords such as fingerprints or facial recognition о biometric technology

noun [C]

a measurement of a particular human feature biometrics /.baiau'metriks; AmE,baiou-/ noun [U] (IT) the use of measurements of human features or characteristics, such as fingers, eyes or voices, in order to identify people: experiments in using biometrics to identify and charge shoppers

biopharma /.baiau'fcuma; AmE ,ЬаюиТа:гтэ/ adjective, noun (informal)

adjective [only before noun] biopharmaceutical: biopharma companies

noun [U]

biopharmaceutics: global trends in biopharma

biopharmaceutical /,bai8ufa:m8'su:tikl; -'sju:-; AmE ,baioufa:rm8'su:-/ adjective, noun

adjective [only before noun]

connected with the making and selling of drugs and medicines that are produced using living cells: at the forefront of biopharmaceutical research о a biopharmaceutical company

noun [c, usually pi.]

a drug or medicine that is produced using living cells: developing biopharmaceuticals о the international biopharmaceuticals company

-> pharmaceutical

biopharmaceutics /,bai8ufa:m8'su:tiks; -'sju:-; AmE ,baioufa:rm8'su:-/ noun [u] the study and development of the production of drugs and medicine using living cells: The ideal candidate will have a masters degree in biopharmaceutics. biotechnology

biotech /'baiautek; AmE 'baioutek/ adjective, noun (informal)

adjective [only before noun]

relating to biotechnology: a biotech company/ firm/group о the patenting of biotech drugs

noun

[u] biotechnology: The company is investing heavily in biotech.

[c] a biotechnology company: Many biotechs become profitable through a single successful drug.

biotechnology /,bai8utek'nDlad3i; AmE ,baioutek'na:l-/ noun

[u.C] the use of living cells in industrial and scientific processes: the rapidly growing field of biotechnology о companies in the biotechnology sector

[u] (AmE) = ergonomics (1)

► biotechnological /.baiau.tekna'h^ikl; AmE ,baioo,tekn8'la:d3-/ adjective: biotechnological research biopharmaceutics

BIS /,bi:ai 'es/ = Bank for International Settlements

bit /bit/ noun [C] (IT) the smallest unit of information that is stored in a computer's memory: The data is transferred at a rate of about 9 000 bits per second. -> byte

bits so

bite /bait/ verb, noun

verb [no obj] (bit /bit/ bitten /'bitn/)

to have an unpleasant effect: The recession is beginning to bite.

QTH3 ,bite 'into sth to reduce sth: Poor trading conditions have bitten into our profits.

noun [C]

[usually sing.] an unpleasant effect: companies feeling the bite of the bear market

a very short statement that is easy to remember (a sound bite): Politicians have to learn to speak in 30-second bites.

idiom at take verb